Indian-American author Manil Suri thinks the US Supreme Court decision striking down the Defense of Marriage Act will carry moral weight with countries around the world who have not recognized gay rights.

Player utilities

"Maybe the Supreme Court of India will think about this before they hand down their decision," Suri says. "More homophobic countries will kind of pause, perhaps, because the US still carries a lot moral clout in the world."

"What's happening in India is that anti-sodomy laws that were instituted by the British are being challenged," he adds. "Although they have been struck down in some sense, that decision by the High Court has been appealed to the Supreme Court and they will hand down their decision by the end of the year — that's what's expected."

Suri's new novel is "The City of Devi." His recent piece in Granta magazine is called "How to be Gay and Indian". He teaches mathematics at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.